In recent years, in an image forming apparatus of the electro-photographic method such as a copier or a printer, there is an apparatus using an electro-photographic process unit (hereinafter abbreviated to EPU) integrally incorporated with a photosensitive drum and a main charger or a cleaner around the photosensitive drum which can be attached removably to the apparatus body. The EPU, when taken out from the apparatus body at time of maintenance, is put on the workbench around the apparatus body. At this time, to prevent the bottom of the EPU from touching directly the workbench or tools placed in the neighborhood of the workbench, conventionally, there is an apparatus in which the housing of the EPU is equipped with fixed legs.
Particularly, in an EPU equipped with a developing device and a toner density sensor at the bottom, when the EPU equipped with legs on the housing is put on the workbench around the apparatus body, the toner density sensor is prevented from touching the workbench or tools on the workbench and being damaged.
On the other hand, in recent years, further miniaturization of the image forming apparatus is required and it is also required to make the components themselves of the image forming apparatus smaller and reduce the spaces between the components. As a result, the space around the EPU is restricted and in the neighborhood of the EPU, it is necessary to closely arrange a laser optical unit for exposing a photosensitive drum and a transfer unit.
However, if the space around the EPU is reduced like this, when inserting or removing the EPU from the apparatus body, it is interrupted by the legs fixed to the housing. Therefore, although the housing is made smaller, around the EPU, it is necessary to provide a space for inserting the legs of the housing, thus it is an obstacle to miniaturization of the image forming apparatus.
Therefore, in the image forming apparatus using the EPU inserted or removed from the apparatus body, an electro-photographic process unit for, when putting the EPU on the workbench outside the apparatus body, preventing the bottom of the EPU from touching the workbench, reducing the space for passing the housing legs when inserting or removing the EPU from the apparatus body, thereby realizing further miniaturization of the image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus are desired.